Washington (CNN) - Former Gov. Tim Kaine will remain as chairman of the Democratic National Committee through the 2012 presidential election.

Kaine told DNC members in an e-mail sent Thursday that he will serve two more years. Kaine also announced that President Obama's re-election campaign "will be based in Chicago starting in March or April of this year.
"David Axelrod and Jim Messina will be leaving the White House to begin work on the re-election campaign once it is formed," Kaine said of two Obama's top White House advisers.

Kaine also noted that current DNC Executive Director Jen O’Malley Dillon will be named deputy campaign manager and current White House Political Director Patrick Gaspard will take over as the DNC's new executive director.

"Working together, I am confident that we can protect the progress of the past two years, achieve important electoral victories in 2011 and 2012, and build on the accomplishments of President Obama’s administration, Congressional Democrats, and Democratic elected officials throughout our great nation," Kaine wrote to the DNC members.

Kaine had indicated in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" with Candy Crowley earlier this month that he intended to serve another two-year term. Today's note makes it official.

soundoff(14 Responses)

I find it interesting that the Republicans had big gains and Michael Steele gets shown the door. The Democrats, on the other hand, took it in the shorts and Kaine gets to keep his job.

January 20, 2011 01:31 pm at 1:31 pm |

Protect and Defend Freedom of Speech in the USA

GREAT NEWS!!! for the Republicans that is! He did such a bang up job in Nov. 2010 that the Democrats want even more of the same SHELLACKING.

First you keep Pelosi and now you keep this dunce. I am seriously believing that the Democrats really do believe that they just haven't been selling their disaster well enough to the American people. It is scary that these people are in office. Hopefully that can be corrected in 2012 for many of them.

January 20, 2011 01:34 pm at 1:34 pm |

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA - John "The Weeper of the House" Boehner

I like Tim Kaine, but I'd prefer to have Howard Dean back.

January 20, 2011 01:49 pm at 1:49 pm |

dont care what you Demoncrates say

elect another failure to the presidency, oh shame on you thinking that way, Osamabam has destroyed the American Dream, he has destroyed America with his killing ways, Obama has made America a laughing stock to the world, Obama has shown actually how much of an idiot he is and We The People are tired of the vacationing welfare president, it is time for this American Dream Killing idiot to GO, 2012 will be the rebirth of America with a new president and a new way of life with real hope and NO Obama. Piss on obama's civility, the Dems dont have any, why should We The People.

January 20, 2011 01:54 pm at 1:54 pm |

S. In California

I agree with you Mr. Chairman and our president WILL BE RE-ELECTED we the people will see to that. This country can't handle ANYMORE republican presidents. Romney and all the other hopefuls will NOT occupy any part of the WH. This you can be sure of.

January 20, 2011 02:00 pm at 2:00 pm |

Claudia, Houston, Tx

Thank you Tim Kaine for continuing your excellence in doing your part and we will support you in doing our part, by the millions. President Obama 2012 !

January 20, 2011 02:17 pm at 2:17 pm |

Bill

Godspeed to all Dems in 2012.

January 20, 2011 02:23 pm at 2:23 pm |

Aeromechanic.

He had better win re-election. All the progress will be for naught if people get stupid and vote GOP. I think most people realize they voted wrong in the midterms. All the GOP wants to do is derail America and waste time and money.

Go Dems!!

January 20, 2011 02:33 pm at 2:33 pm |

obama victim

nice call Barry...isn't this the guy who presided over the loss of 63 seats?? Bet the Repubs are pleased to hear this.

January 20, 2011 02:38 pm at 2:38 pm |

Snow

I just hope and pray we in this country do not have to put up with another term of this idiot obama. He needs to go visit that 58th state he missed even though he did visit 57 states. His words not mine.

January 20, 2011 02:40 pm at 2:40 pm |

w l jones

We American will yell , holler,cry all at the same time! but, but in the end we are all one.

January 20, 2011 02:50 pm at 2:50 pm |

Anonymous

great snake oil salesman...but america tried it and didnt like what they got and became sick... sorry it wont work twice.....

January 20, 2011 02:54 pm at 2:54 pm |

ex-sarge

Hmmm, let's see campaign 2008, we had Howard Dean's 50 state strategy that he had to fight the DNC to put into place, and there was an amazing young candidate, and the Dems won. Really big. Now let's look at campaign 2010, Tim Kaine doesn't seem to have much of a strategy (unless it's to undo everything Howard Dean did), no dazzling young candidate, and no suprise, the Dems lost (but only the House). Now while it is the norm, for the party in charge to lose seats in a midterm election, it doesn't mean that you have to help the process along. So, let's look at what we have so far in the coming 2012 campaign: No DNC chair with a plan and the drive and energy to make that plan work, and oh, no dazzling young candidate to wow the undecideds (you'll have to up your game Mr. President). In fact, Mr. Kaine and President Obama, your lack of acknowledgment of Dean's 50 state strategy and all that he and his people did to make 2008 work out like it did, has left a bad taste in this Dems mouth. I am a registered Democrat and I am a liberal, and I have no where else to go in 2012. So go ahead and take my vote for granted, but, all those young people who worked so hard may not feel the same way. Show the left some of the outreach that we've seen extended to the Republicans, please.

January 20, 2011 02:54 pm at 2:54 pm |

Dale

True story: My mother worked as a nurse, taking care of patients and paying into her health insurance for 20 years. Then she got breast cancer and her insurance company promptly dropped her. They basically told her to go home and die. Their strategy was to delay the legal fight until she died. Friends and family helped with her bills while she fought them in court, at the same time she was going through chemo, etc. She won both fights, thankfully. She told me that the insurance company caused her more stress than the prospect of dying. I sincerely thank Obama and the Democrats for making the insurance company's action of dropping her illegal. And I am appalled at the Republican party for fighting this law in the past and for wanting to repeal it now. The Republican party is as cold, unethical and inhuman as the insurance companies that they work for.